Green Carpet

70.100 (1776) Green CarpetColostygia pectinataria (Knoch, 1781)

Status

Resident. Common.

Flight period

J

F

M

A

M

J

J

A

S

O

N

D

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History

Somerville (1858) while on a visit to the Moffat area during August had found it in local woods. K. J. Morton of Edinburgh (1900) whilst on a visit in July 1899 to Wigtownshire had found this species in the Monreith area. Gordon (1919) had found it abundant among bracken and on walls in woods and moorland around Corsemalzie, Wigtownshire. Earliest date was 14th June 1911.

Sir Arthur Duncan (1909-84) during his lifetime had found it at Closeburn, Tynron, CastleHill, Dumfries and the Lochar Moss. Russell (1944) whilst staying at Gatehouse of Fleet during 1942-43 had found it abundant locally.

Pelham-Clinton in the early 1970s found it at Shawhead, Corsock, Caulkerbush, Kirkbean and Crocketford (VC73). During 1974-93 the seven Rothamsted stations amassed nearly 400 records, proving it to widely common.

From 1993 to 2010 we have about the same number of records again, mainly from the regular trapped sites at Kirkton, Durisdeer and Cally Woods, but also from a wide variety of varying sites across the region.

Life cycle

Two generations. Overwinters as a larva during June to July, again, September to May, with pupation in a cocoon in soil.